It is well known that in order to achieve a first-down during an American-style football game, it is necessary to advance the football ten yards from the position of the previous first-down. In order to identify the location of the previous first-down, and to identify a target location ten yards away that must be reached for another first-down, a first-down measurement device including a pair of sideline markers connected by a ground level chain ten yards in length is used. When a team receives possession of the football, or a first-down is achieved, one of the sideline markers is placed on the sideline parallel to the location of the football. The chain is then stretched to its 10-yard length such that the second sideline marker denotes the sideline location where the football must be advanced for the team in possession of the ball to achieve another first-down. The sideline markers are usually in the form of posts or poles, connected by the ten yard chain, which may be inserted into the grassy or artificial sideline turf, each post usually having a brightly colored target at the top that can be seen by players and fans. During the course of a football game, each time a team takes possession of the ball, and each time a first-down is achieved, the sideline markers are moved to show the current location of the ball and to show the 10-yard distance that must be achieved for a first-down.
Often, the football is advanced very close to ten yards, but since the sideline markers are on the sidelines of the playing field and usually a significant distance from the football, it may be difficult to determine whether the 10-yard distance has actually been reached. There is typically a tag provided on the chain that may be slid along the chain to the closest 5-yard line nearest to the first-down sideline marker. In these situations, the tag is moved down the chain so that it is at the closest 5-yard line nearest to the first-down sideline marker (or an official may grasp the chain at the nearest 5-yard line), and then the sideline markers and chain are taken from the sidelines onto the playing field to where the football is located for a measurement. The tag (or location where the official grasped the chain) is placed on the closest 5-yard line on the playing field to assure proper placement of the chain, and the chain stretched to where the football rests. At a climactic moment, the sideline marker at the end of the chain is brought next to the football to see if it has been advanced the necessary ten yards. During these situations, which may occur frequently during a football game, all eyes are on the sideline marker and the football (or on an in-house football stadium scoreboard) to see whether a first-down has been achieved. During televised football games, cameras are zoomed in on the football and the bottom of the sideline marker attached to the chain to see if the first-down has been achieved, and if not, to see what distance is needed to achieve it.
It is well known that advertising indicia are placed on football helmets, jerseys and other equipment so that viewers of the game are exposed to these indicia during the course of the game. The frequent focus on the bottom of a sideline marker provides an excellent opportunity for similar advertising and marketing or for providing any appropriate message.
It is therefore desirable to provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for displaying advertising indicia on first-down measurement devices including chains and/or sideline markers during American-style football games.